Wreckless Eric Goulden was one of Stiff's earliest long-term signings, penning a deal with the nascent label in 1977. This two CD release features Eric's 1980 third album, Big Smash, on Disc One plus a second disc that is... more &raquo a compilation of hits and tracks off the first two albums. Effectively a label 'Best Of', this is the first ever release on CD, including the incredibly rare 'A Little Bit More' (recorded for the original album sessions) and two live Australian b-sides. All tracks have been digitally remastered and, as ever, Eric has provided a fairly off the wall commentary in his new sleeve notes. Stiff. 2007.&laquo less

Synopsis

Album Description

Wreckless Eric Goulden was one of Stiff's earliest long-term signings, penning a deal with the nascent label in 1977. This two CD release features Eric's 1980 third album, Big Smash, on Disc One plus a second disc that is a compilation of hits and tracks off the first two albums. Effectively a label 'Best Of', this is the first ever release on CD, including the incredibly rare 'A Little Bit More' (recorded for the original album sessions) and two live Australian b-sides. All tracks have been digitally remastered and, as ever, Eric has provided a fairly off the wall commentary in his new sleeve notes. Stiff. 2007.

CD Reviews

When will there be a retrospective that does eric justice?

Jon Stratton | Perth, Australia | 06/25/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the Wreckless Eric's third album plus the compilation from his first two albums originally released in the US in 1979 as Whole Wide World. According to Eric's website the album plus compilatiion were first released together in 1980. My gripe is that the compilation takes many more tracks from the second of Eric's releases than the first. The second album is much 'cleaner' and more 'professional' than the first and lacks much of the first's glorious idiosyncracy. In a word, Eric's first album was in the great tradition of English eccentricity--plus it had some great rock'n'roll on it and songs with wonderful hooks. Certainly the compilation includes the stand-outs 'Reconnez Cherie' and 'Whole Wide World' but the almost equally good, but weirder, 'Telephoning Home', 'Personal Hygiene', 'Grown Ups' and 'Waxworks' were left off, as was Eric's version of Ian Dury's 'Rough Kids'. Don't get me wrong, it's great to have so much Wreckless Eric available on CD at last but, please, let's treat this great English eccentric rock'n'roller to the quality retrospective he deserves!"